Case studies by country

CREATING CONDITIONS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE CARRIBEAN — by Patrick McConney — last modified 2007-06-12 22:57

Barbados. his case study concerns the small island developing states (SIDS) of the eastern Caribbean which are part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Emphasis is placed on Barbados. Other countries briefly examined are Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.

INVOLVING CIVIL SOCIETY: THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS SUBPROGRAM OF THE PILOT PROGRAM TO CONSERVE THE BRAZILIAN RAINFOREST — by Rinaldo César Mancin — last modified 2007-06-12 23:00

The Brazilian Amazon is a region of continental dimensions, with a surface area equivalent to more than thirty European countries. Outside of South America, humid tropical forests are to be found in Africa and Asia. The planet’s stock of tropical forests has been reduced to 60 percent of the 14 million square kilometers of primitive coverage, and now occupies only approximately 6 percent of the emersed lands of the planet. Brazil has about 40 percent of that forest land

Towards a Platform for Development: Bringing Together Pastoralists and Agro-Pastoralists in the Kishi Beiga Area — by Boureima Drabo — last modified 2007-06-13 17:59

This is a case study of the Burkina Sahel Program in Burkina Faso, West Africa, and the project “Village Lands and Natural Resources Management through Self-Development” developed in the Kishi Beiga area in particular. This project (PSB-GTZ), initiated in 1991, was implemented in a limited pilot area using the village lands management approach. Following an initial failure, the project revised its approach and operating strategy in favor of an interactive process of communication with all groups and neighborhoods and developing local potential for consultation among different groups. Using the area’s traditional organizational structure to regulate access to resources on a seasonal basis, the project facilitated the creation of a Consultative Unit linking different groups (agro-pastoralists and pastoralists). This provided the project official recognition and established improved channels of communication between the project implementors, other technical and financial partners active in the area and the local people. It provided a platform of expression, thereby successfully resolving latent conflicts between different groups. At the same time an inter-active approach for self-evaluation of the unit allowed the project to move forward and achieve a level of vitality and thereby enhance long-term sustainability of the institution.

TOWARDS A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPMENT: BRINGING TOGETHER PASTORALISTS AND AGRO-PASTORALISTS — by Bouriema Drabo — last modified 2007-06-13 18:09

THE CONTEXT The Kishi Beiga Area Kishi Beiga is a vast region in the Oudalan province of northern Burkina Faso (a country located at the heart of West Africa). Pastoralism is the main activity in the area; rainfall is quite low (isohyets of 350 to 600 mm) and very irregular in time and space. The area consists of numerous villages and hamlets and many different ethnic groups, including the Touaregs, the Bellah, various Peul subgroups and other groups derived from the Songhai (Mallébé). Kishi Beiga falls under the traditional authority of a Touareg chief (who has just been reinstated), the canton chief who lives in Gorom Gorom and controls the entire Oudalan district. The government is represented by a Mallébé village administrator. The area holds tremendous potential for pastoralism and, as a result, several transhumance groups from neighboring regions appear periodically and attempt to cohabit with the sedentary agro-pastoralists. There are vast dry season and rainy season pasturelands, ponds, water courses and salt resources used for treatments.

TOWARDS A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPMENT: BRINGING TOGETHER PASTORALISTS AND AGRO-PASTORALISTS — by Bouriema Drabo — last modified 2007-06-13 18:05

THE CONTEXT The Kishi Beiga Area Kishi Beiga is a vast region in the Oudalan province of northern Burkina Faso (a country located at the heart of West Africa). Pastoralism is the main activity in the area; rainfall is quite low (isohyets of 350 to 600 mm) and very irregular in time and space. The area consists of numerous villages and hamlets and many different ethnic groups, including the Touaregs, the Bellah, various Peul subgroups and other groups derived from the Songhai (Mallébé). Kishi Beiga falls under the traditional authority of a Touareg chief (who has just been reinstated), the canton chief who lives in Gorom Gorom and controls the entire Oudalan district. The government is represented by a Mallébé village administrator. The area holds tremendous potential for pastoralism and, as a result, several transhumance groups from neighboring regions appear periodically and attempt to cohabit with the sedentary agro-pastoralists. There are vast dry season and rainy season pasturelands, ponds, water courses and salt resources used for treatments.

RAPPROCHEMENT DES PASTEURS ET AGROPASTEURS DANS LA ZONE DE KISHI BEIGA. ETUDE DE CAS DU PROGRAMME SAHEL BURKINABÈ PSB-GTZ (BURKINA FASO) — by Matthias Banzhaff — last modified 2007-06-13 18:13

CONTEXTE GENERALE La zone de Kishi Beiga Kishi Beiga est une vaste zone située dans la province de l’Oudalan, au Nord du Burkina Faso (pays au coeur de l’Afrique de l’Ouest). A vocation pastorale principalement, cette zone, est assez faiblement arrosée (isohètes 350 à 600 mm) et connaît une forte variation pluviométrique dans le temps et dans l’espace. Elle est composée de plusieurs villages et hameaux et peuplé d'une mosaïque d’ethnies dont les Touareg, les Bellah, les différents sous groupes Peulh et les groupes dérivant des Songhai (Mallébé). Kishi Beïga est sous l’autorité coutumière d'un chef Touareg (qui vient d’être réhabilité), le chef de canton qui réside à Gorom Gorom pour le fait qu’il coiffe toute la chefferie de l’Oudalan. L’état y est représenté par un responsable administratif villageois (RAV) Mallebé. La zone regorge d’énormes potentialités pastorales. Cela suscite l’arrivée périodique de plusieurs groupes de transhumants des régions avoisinantes, qui tentent de cohabiter avec les agro-pasteurs sédentaires et les pasteurs autochtones. On y rencontre de grands parcours de saisons sèche et pluvieuse, des mares, des cours d’eau et la cure salée.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AS A KEY ELEMENT FOR CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WITH LOCAL PARTICIPATION: THE CASE OF THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS — by Paola Oviedo — last modified 2007-06-13 18:17

CASE IDENTIFICATION Country and Region Ecuador, Galápagos Islands Type of Renewable Resource Marine resources are particularly important as regards sustainable development for the local population. The land ecosystems are especially valuable for science and ultimately for the tourism industry. Both the fishery resources and the tourism resources are subject to pressures from the national and international outside markets. The economic crisis besetting mainland Ecuador is reflected in the Galápagos by the constant increase in the number of immigrants.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AS A KEY ELEMENT FOR CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WITH LOCAL PARTICIPATION: THE CASE OF THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS (1)(EN) — by Paola Oviedo — last modified 2007-06-13 18:19

CASE IDENTIFICATION Country and Region Ecuador, Galápagos Islands Type of Renewable Resource Marine resources are particularly important as regards sustainable development for the local population. The land ecosystems are especially valuable for science and ultimately for the tourism industry. Both the fishery resources and the tourism resources are subject to pressures from the national and international outside markets. The economic crisis besetting mainland Ecuador is reflected in the Galápagos by the constant increase in the number of immigrants.

LA RESOLUCIÓN DE CONFLICTOS COMO UN ELEMENTO CLAVE PARA LA CONSERVACIÓN Y MANEJO SOSTENIBLE — by Paola Oviedo — last modified 2007-06-13 18:22

INTRODUCCIÓN El caso de la comunidad local de pescadores de las islas Galápagos, Ecuador, combina varios elementos: experiencia temprana y exitosa de protección de un área natural excepcionalmente valiosa conflicto prolongado de intereses de uso entre varios grupos de interés, y resolución del mismo a través de la aprobación de una nueva ley especial formulada mediante un proceso participativo.

COMMUNITY FOREST OWNERSHIP: KEY TO SUSTAINABLE FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. THE GAMBIAN EXPERIENCE — by Foday Bojang — last modified 2007-06-13 18:24

INTRODUCTION At the turn of the century The Gambia was still covered by dense and almost impenetrable forests. In 1981 about 430.000 ha or 45 percent of the total land area were classified as forest, it was estimated that this area was further reduced to about 340.000 ha or 30 percent of the land area in 1988. Likewise, the degradation of the forest condition is so severe that most closed forests have disappeared, leaving only a tree and shrub savanna of poor quality. The Gambia belongs to the group of the least developed countries, with an average income of US $ 325 per capita. Its population of 1,025,000 (1993) relies mainly on forest resources for its energy needs.

Community Forest Ownership: Key to Sustainable Forest Resource Management. The Gambian Experience — by Foday Bojang — last modified 2007-06-13 18:28

Abstract: This is a case of the changes brought about in traditional forest management practices of the Forest Department in The Gambia, following large-scale deforestation and destruction of invaluable forest resources and realization of the need for community involvement in their protection and maintenance. With the support of the Gambian German Forestry Project (GGFP), the Forest Department introduced community forestry in 1990. The institutional changes included creation of Forest Committees at the village level that are responsible, along with the Forest Department, for developing and following the Community Forest Management Agreements, and for taking revenue management and conflict management decisions. In the latter activity help from traditional chiefs are taken. While technical assistance is provided by the Forest Department, the communities use traditional culture as a basis for organizing themselves into various task forces. One of the key lessons from this experience is that communities should be granted permanent ownership rights over the clearly demarcated forest resources being protected by them, on the condition that they would sustainably manage the resources. In addition the absence of financial incentives for undertaking these tasks instilled a sense of ownership and responsibility within the communities. Approval by the concerned Government of the new Gambian Forest Policy in 1995, and its consequent legislative approval, provided a much needed legal standing to this innovative approach which is now being implemented countrywide. This case study details the participatory process involved in bringing about the existing changes in The Gambian Forest sector, and other related natural resource management practices.

LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATORY NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: USAID’S GOLD PROJECT IN THE PHILIPPINES — by Kenneth Ellison — last modified 2007-06-13 18:38

Major authorities and responsibilities for agricultural extension and environmental planning, monitoring and management have been devolved to local governments in the Philippines under recent decentralization legislation. Such legislation has placed substantial decisions in the hands of local governing institutions with high levels of citizen participation. This is a major departure from more conventional resource management systems premised on macro policy-based “command/control” formulas applied by central agencies that typically optimize technical solutions and minimize - or altogether bypass – formal local governing institutions.

COPAN: COLLABORATION FOR IDENTITY, EQUITY and Sustainability (HONDURAS) — by Jacqueline Chenier — last modified 2007-06-13 18:46

INTRODUCTION Copan: Site, Agriculture and Population Honduras, a country with an area of 112,420 sq km and a population of close to five million inhabitants is located in the heart of Central America. Conquered by the Spaniards in the early 1500s, only around 7 percent of the population is indigenous, due to various causes including wars, diseases and intermarriage with descendants of the Spanish immigrants.

COPAN: COLLABORATION FOR IDENTITY, EQUITY and Sustainability (HONDURAS) — by Jacqueline Chenier — last modified 2007-06-13 18:44

INTRODUCTION Copan: Site, Agriculture and Population Honduras, a country with an area of 112,420 sq km and a population of close to five million inhabitants is located in the heart of Central America. Conquered by the Spaniards in the early 1500s, only around 7 percent of the population is indigenous, due to various causes including wars, diseases and intermarriage with descendants of the Spanish immigrants.

COMPLEMENTARITY OF INSTITUTIONS: A PREREQUISITE FOR THE SUCCESS OF JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT. A COMPARATIVE CASE OF FOUR VILLAGES FROM INDIA — by Shashi Kant — last modified 2007-06-13 18:48

INTRODUCTION India’s forests have played an integral role in sustaining its people over many millennia. In addition to an abundance of nutritional, medicinal and subsistence goods, wilderness areas have provided the environment for spiritual and cultural expression of the Indian people. In the pre-British period, the ownership of forests was with the Kings, but the forest regimes were aimed at fair distribution of returns to all sections of society. In the Maurayan period (324 to 180 B.C.) forests were classified in three classes: (i) Reserve forests; (ii) Forests donated to eminent Brahmans; and, (iii) Forests for the public. The reserve forest were of two categories - reserve forests for the king and reserve forests for the state (Dwivedi 1980: 9). Hence, the Maurayan-empire aimed to match the requirements of each section of society through a classification of forests. There are no records of classification-based forest management in the post-Maurayan period. With a few exceptions, access to forests were largely unrestricted. However, ultimate control over forest lands lay in the hands of the ruler of the territory (Stebbing 1922). The focus of forest ‘management’ continued to be geared towards the fair distribution of returns, and had characteristics of communal forest regimes

NGOs AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS: A CASE STUDY OF IRRIGATION SECTOR REFORMS IN GUJARAT, INDIA — by Apoorva Oza — last modified 2007-06-13 18:55

BACKGROUND Being dependent for a long time on the vagaries of monsoon, India has placed a very great emphasis on development of the irrigation sector right from independence. However the problems of under-utilisation, lack of access by tail-end farmers, poor maintenance and non-viability of the irrigation systems persist in the government owned surface irrigation schemes. On the other hand, small, privately owned irrigation systems (dugwells, tubewells, etc.) are found to be more efficient and provide more than 50 percent of irrigation in India. Water rates have not been increased because of political populism. In fact, the average water rate is only 3 percent of the estimated net benefit from irrigation. Because of the low water rates and poor recovery rates, revenue from the irrigation sector covers only 20 percent of the cost of operation and maintenance, making the sector highly subsidised and non-viable. These problems in the irrigation sector are more or less found in all states of India.

COMPLEMENTARITY OF INSTITUTIONS: A PREREQUISITE FOR THE SUCCESS OF JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT. A COMPARATIVE CASE OF FOUR VILLAGES FROM INDIA